System and method for motivating healthy eating and a wellness plan related thereto

Abstract

A method and system for promoting healthy eating and a managing a wellness program related thereto is disclosed. The method and system includes storing identity data in a database for foods and / or beverages that are determined to be healthy for an individual to consume; receiving purchase information including information for such food and / or beverages and calculating a discount or a refund or reward applicable for the purchase of the product if the at least one food and / or beverage purchased is identified in the identity data. This system and method may optionally be integrated with a wellness program that includes obtaining personal information pertaining to an individual, the personal information including at least the individual's age and gender. In addition, health information pertaining to the individual is obtained. The personal information and the health information are then used to determine a wellness program for the individual, the wellness program including a plurality of program areas with which the individual must comply. Information is then received regarding the individual's compliance or non-compliance with the individual's wellness program and points are awarded to the individual for compliance with the wellness program. At predetermined intervals the total number of points awarded to the individual are calculated and a reward is awarded to the individual based on the total number of points accumulated.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 262,266, filed Oct. 31, 2008.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a method of managing a wellness program and a system therefore. Various wellness programs are known which attempt to encourage an individual to look after their wellness. However, these wellness programs often fall short in that they are not personalized for an individual but are rather general wellness programs that are offered to a number of individuals.[0003]One of the effects of general wellness programs is that they lack a personal incentive aspect to motivate the individual to look after their health.[0004]The present invention also relates to a system and method of motivating healthy eating amongst consumers, both by itself and in combination with a wellness program as described above. Prior wellness programs do not encourage healthy eating amongst consumers by directly...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]According to another example embodiment, there is provided a method of motivating healthy eating, the method including: storing identity data in a database, the identity data identifying a plurality of foods and / or beverages that are determined to be healthy for an individual to consume; receiving purchase information including information of at least one food and / or beverage purchased by a consumer; accessing the database to ascertain if the at least one food and / or beverage purchased is identified in the identity data; and if the at least one food and / or beverage purchased is identified in the identity data then calculating a discount or a refund applicable for the purchase of the product. The discount or refund may be calculated by a point of sale device. In this example the database may be associated with the point of sale device. Alternatively, the discount or refund may be calculated by a computer separate from the point of sale device. The method further comprises arranging the discount or refund. In one example embodiment, the discount is arranged by transmitting a message to a point of sale device to reduce the cost of the identified food and / or beverage at the point of sale device.

[0019]The discount or refund may be calculated by a point of sale device in which case the database, purchase information module and calculation module are integrated with the point of sale device. Alternatively, the discount or refund may be calculated by a computer separate from the point of sale device. The system may further comprise a discount arranging module to arrange tile discount or refund. In one example embodiment, the discount is arranged by transmitting a message via a communications network to a point of sale device to reduce the cost of the identified food and / or beverage at the point of sale device. In another example embodiment, the refund is arranged by transmitting data via a communications network to a financial provider to refund the consumer for the products purchased. The system may include a wellness program module wherein the calculation of the discount or refund may include monitoring of the compliance of the consumer with a wellness program wherein the calculation of the discount is related to the compliance of the consumer with the wellness program. The monitoring of the compliance of the consumer with the wellness program by the wellness program module may include: receiving consumer participation information associated with the consumer's participation in the wetness program; and determining, based on the participation information, a status level associated with the consumer for the wellness program, wherein the status level indicates a degree of participation in the wellness program; and wherein the calculation module alters the calculated discount or refund based on the status level. The participation information received may include information associated with a plurality of separate and distinct occurrences of wellness program participation by the consumer. The wellness program module may further determine a status level associated with the consumer that further includes: receiving the participation information from an information processing system; assigning a given point value to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation; determining a total point value based on an accumulation of each given point value assigned to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation; comparing the total point value to a plurality of point ranges, each point range in the plurality of point ranges being associated with a status level; identifying a point range in the plurality of point ranges corresponding to the total point value; and assigning a status level associated with the point range that has been identified to the consumer.

Problems solved by technology

However, these wellness programs often fall short in that they are not personalized for an individual but are rather general wellness programs that are offered to a number of individuals.

One of the effects of general wellness programs is that they lack a personal incentive aspect to motivate the individual to look after their health.

Prior wellness programs do not encourage healthy eating amongst consumers by directly monitoring what foods the consumers eat.

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